Interview with Aisha Mahmoud Radwan

This interview explores the professional journey, contributions and vision of Aisha Mahmoud Radwan, an expressive arts therapist, psychotherapist, educator and founder of major expressive arts initiatives in Egypt and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Through dialogue with Professor Mitchell Kossak of Lesley University, Aisha reflects on her interdisciplinary background in art, psychology and somatic practice, her extensive clinical and educational work across international contexts, and her leadership in developing culturally grounded expressive arts training programmes. She highlights the emergence of expressive arts therapy in the MENA region, the growth of professional networks, and the transformative role of creativity in healing, citing some of her projects that have touched people globally, such as the Expressive Arts Egypt Festival, which drew over 160 participants from 40 different countries. The conversation also examines the challenges facing the field and the global movement towards integrative, decolonized and community-centred expressive arts practice.